Hurricane season is upon us again. It runs from June 1st to November 30th of every year, and that means it may be time to invest in a good generator. Along with hurricanes are dangerous tropical storms, and simple summer storms that cause damage as they make their way through our cities. The number 1 cause of power outages is mother nature. Fortunately, there powerful generators available that can help get you through hurricane season.

Investing in Backup Power

A generator can be a good investment for backup power. They typically only need small capital investments, but operating a generator is not inexpensive. Generators use fuel, and they also require maintenance. Generators also have a finite life.

Different Types of Generators

Generators come in a few flavors. Small portable, permanent backup and prime power.
Prime power means the generator is rated to run all the time. They are the most expensive. If you need permanent off-grid power, these are the generators. They also last the longest. It is not unusual for these to run for 90 days between shutdowns.

Portable generators are the least expensive, but they require liquid fuel, typically gasoline. You will need to place these units well away from your house but still have long extension cords. And you will need these extension cords to run any electric devices in your house. Portable units are usually loud and not designed to be run for long periods. They need maintenance about every 50 hours.
Permanent automatic backup generators usually are connected to your natural gas supply or propane tank. An automatic transfer switch is connected to the electric supply. When it senses a loss of utility power, it will disconnect the utility power and start the generator. Power is usually back on in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Small units provide power to essential parts of your house. Large units can run your entire house including air conditioning.

Installing Your Generator

Tetra West Power sells and installs automatic backup generators. We also build hybrid solar energy systems. Every backup generator we sell can be the base for a future hybrid energy system. Don’t lose power this hurricane season and install a backup generator today.